A Guide to the San Francisco Chinatown of Fae Myenne Ng’s novel Bone
(1993) Prepared by Sarina Lowe, Swarthmore College, English 52B, Spring 2011
Note: The numbers for each annotation correspond to locations on the map
below.
▪ Page 3
(1) Salmon Alley: The street where Mah's house is, and where Leila, Ona, and
Nina grew up.
▪ Page 4
(2) Portsmouth Square: a popular hangout for the residents of Chinatown. Older
men smoke and play Chinese checkers while the women hang around and
gossip. The Holiday Inn connects to Portsmouth Square via a large concrete
overpass.
(3) Broadway Tunnel: A tunnel approximately four blocks long that connects
Chinatown to the Nob Hill district.
Page 14
(4) West Ping: The western most complex of the Ping Yuen Housing Project. The
large building is located at 711 Pacific Avenue and is known for its large red
gate, Chinese architectural elements and large mural.
▪ Page 4
(5) Uncle's Café: The café down the street from the San Fran where Leon and the
rest of the family often eat. In Chinatown, Uncle's Café is a popular hangout and
a hub of the Chinatown community where local politics are often discussed.
(6) The San Fran: The "old-man hotel" on Clay St where Leon stays after he
moves out of Salmon Alley. Because male laborers dominated Chinatown for
many years these single room hotels were common in Chinatown.
(7) Universal Café: Another café Leon and Leila frequent. The café is composed
of tables enclosed within wooden stalls whose entrance is covered by a curtain,
thus providing privacy.
▪ Page 14
(8) Edith Eaton School: The school where Leila works with the families of
students. In reality, the school is called Jean Parker School not Edith Eaton, yet
Ng named the school after the renowned Chinese author who wrote about the
Chinese American experience in works such as Mrs. Spring Fragrance.
9) Nam Ping Yuen: The branch of the Ping Yuen Housing Projects, where Ona
committed suicide.
▪ Page 74
(10) Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Society: The Benevolent Society Leila goes
to for information on the site of Grandpa Leong's grave. In San Francisco's
Chinatown, the benevolent societies or family associations were an integral part
of the community. There are six main benevolent societies, each one for a
different last name.
▪ Page 107
(11) Cumberland Presbyterian: Leila's childhood Chinese school. For children
growing up in Chinatown, Chinese school was a must. Everyday after regular
school they would meet in various places to learn Cantonese.
The numbers for each annotation above correspond to locations on the map
below.
ADDITIONAL SELECTED ANNOTATIONS FOR BONE
Prepared by Sarina Lowe, English 52B, Swarthmore College, spring 2011
▪ Paper Names
Due to immigration restrictions and the Naturalization Act of 1870 and the
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the immigration of Chinese into America was
extremely restricted. The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, however, provided
many people with the opportunity to come to San Francisco, as all of the city’s
public records were burned in the Great Fire that followed the earthquake. The
typical story went as follows: a hopeful immigrant in China would buy an
American’s “papers”, which included their family name, story, and residential
information. These stories and facts were then carefully studied and memorized.
Thus when the immigrant arrived at Angel Island for interrogation, they would
simply say, “Oh I am Bill Lowe and I am returning from visiting relatives in
China. I live at 753 Jackson St., and work in the Tai Yick Trading Company.”
Because the authorities had no records, they would thus often allow them into
the country. It became typical in San Francisco’s Chinatown to not have one’s
real Chinese last name, but a “paper name” that was used to enter the country
and usually retained for following generations.
Page 69
“half-singed funeral papers” These papers are known as Joss papers or,
informally, ghost money, burned in rituals worshipping ancestors or deities. This
practices revolves around the belief that ancestors continue to live in the natural
world and to influence fortune and fate.
“Chinese burning rituals” This is a reference to traditional funeral practices,
many of which involve the burning of Joss paper (see above) or incense. These
practices are meant to help ensure the happiness of the deceased.
“Confucius”
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who lived in the fifth and
sixth centuries. He emphasized family loyalty, reverence of elders, and ancestor
worship.
Page 71
"Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association" This Association was one of six
benevolent associations in San Francisco. Interestingly, these associations used to
discourage Chinese immigration, citing decreasing wages for both the Chinese
and Americans and heightened hostility towards Chinese people as problems
exacerbated by continued immigration. [8]
Page 72
“41 Waverly Place” The current address of Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent
Association.
“Ironing the interfacing for the culottes”
Culottes is a French word originally
referring to popular knee breeches in the 19th century. The term was adopted by
American women's fashion and now refers to shorts that look like skirts
(http://www.etsy.com/listing/68948029/mod-skirt-culottes-shirt-jacketvintage).
“mah-jongg” Mahjong (spelled many different ways) is a traditional Chinese
game played by 4 people using tiles embossed with different Chinese characters
and symbols. The traditional game varies in many ways from the popular
Mahjong Solitaire computer game.
“White Crane Gung-Fu Club” White Crane Kung Fu is a martial art that
originated in South China. The close-range hand techniques resemble the
flapping of a Crane's wings. [11]
Page 73
“The Chinese Times” There were a number of Chinese newspapers printed in
San Francisco. The reference is quite general, but may be alluding to The China
Times, a local newspaper that focused on family news.
http://www.chineseadvertisingagencies.com/mediaguide/Chinesenewspapers-San-Francisco.html
Page 74
“Ghost Festival”
The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday,
celebrating ancestors and the dead. It is believed that during the Ghost Festival
the realms of heaven and hell open up. The ghosts of ancestors that have not
been given proper burials or appropriate tribute after their deaths wander the
earth in search of entertainment. Food and incense burning rituals are performed
to ward off bad luck.
Page 75
“snake wine” Snake wine was an important herbal remedy in traditional
Chinese medicine, celebrated for its healing and rejuvenating effects. The wine is
made of, preferably, venomous snakes that have been soaked in wine to extract
their essence.
“Eight Holy Immortals” The eight immortals refers to the powerful immortals
revered by Taoists and popularized in Chinese culture. References to the
immortals frequently appear in Chinese art and literature.
“Marysville” There are a number of towns named Marysville in the United
States. This is most likely a reference to Marysville, California, near Sacramento.
Marysville, at one time, had a large Chinese community until the town violently
drove out its Chinese residents.
Page 76
“Seaman's Union”
This union is probably part of the International Seamen's
Union, which split into two different parts in 1937. The Union protected and
regulated the rights of sailors.
“Western Union” Western Union is a North American financial services
company. Money orders as well as telegrams could be sent via Western Union.
Page 77
“Cantonese opera” Cantonese opera is a sub-division of Chinese opera.
Storylines revolve around Chinese history and myths, and involve much singing
and martial arts. Before formalized education, the operas were used to convey
important messages and morals that were sanctioned by the government.
Performances were popular in Chinatowns in the U.S. as well as in China.
Page 79
“Portsmouth Square” Portsmouth Square is a small park in Chinatown of great
historical significance. The square is nicknamed the "heart of Chinatown."
“Grandview Theatre”
The Grandview Theatre, opened in the mid 1930's,
showed only Chinese films until its closing in 1989. Although no longer in
operation, the building still stands.
http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAA-8852.jpg
Page 83
“sticky cakes” This is a reference to nian gao, literally meaning "high year", a
rice cake typically consumed around Chinese New Year. Eating nian gao during
the New Year celebration is said to bring good luck.
Page 85
“Lucky Strikes” Lucky Strike is an American brand of cigarettes that enjoyed
great popularity in the 1930s – 1980s.